“Purchasing is always a moral – and not simply economic – act. Hence the consumer has a specific social responsibility, which goes hand-in-hand with the social responsibility of the enterprise.”-Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas Veritate, 2009

SMC’s Sustainability Vision: In fidelity to our educational mission and Catholic principles, Saint Mary’s College is committed to leadership in fostering environmental literacy, modeling a culture of sustainability, and creating an equitable future for all of humankind in harmony with nature.

In concert with the College’s Strategic Plan, the sustainable purchasing policy follows our vision by supporting products and companies that exhibit industry-leading environmental and social practices.

Definition: Sustainable purchasing is the practice of purchasing products and services that have a reduced impact on the environment and human health, as compared to competing products or services with similar functions. Sustainable products benefit the local and global environment, improve human health, and often save money immediately or in the long-term.

Goal: Saint Mary’s College will balance environmental, social and fiscal responsibilities in making financially and environmentally sustainable purchasing decisions. We will strive to purchase products with the highest environmental and social standards within its respective industry provided that the products meet acceptable use and performance needs. Priority will be given to materials that:

Green Purchasing Workshop

Through two workshops, 30-35 staff members learned about green purchasing and helped elucidate some of the challenges and opportunities for implementing said policy at Saint Mary's College. These workshops helped us spell out the guiding principles, targets, and needed resources to effectively implement our new sustainable purchasing policy.